24 May 1990

13th Plenary Meeting

1990/4. Equality in political participation and decision-making

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, in particular paragraphs 86-92 thereof,

Recalling also the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, in particular paragraph 7 thereof,

Noting the recommendation made by the Expert Group on Equality in Political Participation and Decision-making, held at Vienna from 18 to 22 September 1989, that the advancement of women should be considered a priority in national decision-making and that women should be full partners in those decisions,

Gravely concerned that on average women represent a very low proportion of decision makers in all regions,

Gravely concerned also about the findings in the report of the Secretary-General concerning the low number of women throughout the United Nations system, particularly in senior policy-level and decision-making posts,

Bearing in mind that key decisions in society are taken in a large number of assemblies, such as Governments, parliaments, public boards and committees, trade and industry boards, trade unions and other organizations,

Also bearing in mind that women constitute approximately half the world's population and must participate on an equal footing with men in national decision-making and in the construction of their countries,

Considering that decisions taken in society, if they are to reflect universal views, need to be based on the experience of women as well as men,

Also considering that women at all levels of society should be aware of the importance of political and other decisions to their everyday life and the potential impact of their participation in those decisions,

Aware of the need to create more flexible structures in decision-making and open practices in recruiting processes,

Noting the importance of the contribution of women's organizations and other non-governmental organizations to the work of increasing women's participation in decision-making at all levels of society,

Affirming that increasing the number of women in decision-making, in Member States as well as in the organizations of the United Nations system, is of paramount importance for the fulfilment and implementation of the Forward-looking Strategies,

1. Welcomes the recommendations of the Expert Group on Equality in Political Participation and Decision-making;

2. Urges States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women to ensure strict implementation of the Convention and to facilitate the wide publication of its provisions;

3. Urges Governments to increase their efforts to make women full partners in national decision-making;

4. Recommends that, in order to accelerate the pace of progress towards the full participation of women in national decision-making, Governments introduce the following measures:

(a) The regular compilation and dissemination of gender-specific data on the composition of relevant bodies at various levels of national decision-making, including central and regional levels;

(b) The design of programmes and campaigns to inform women of their legal political rights, including the introduction of temporary positive action measures and the facilitation of the training of women for leadership and participation in political organizations and trade unions;

(c) The review of educational material with the aim of removing gender bias;

(d) The facilitation of research on women's opportunities of exerting influence and on structural and other obstacles to women's participation in decision-making;

(e) The setting of concrete targets for the number of women in bodies whose composition is the responsibility of the Government;

5. Urges political organizations, trade unions and other relevant bodies to take appropriate measures to increase substantially the number of women who participate in decision-making in their organizations;

6. Requests the Secretary-General, as part of the regular work for the advancement of women carried out by the Organization, to disseminate on a regular basis information on the composition of the highest decision-making bodies at the national, regional and international levels, disaggregated by sex, to assist national machinery for the advancement of women in developing similar information at the central, regional and local levels, and to promote the exchange of experience between national machinery;

7. Also requests the Secretary-General urgently to intensify his efforts to increase the number of women throughout the United Nations system, particularly in senior policy-level and decision-making posts.